Barite with Hematite

specimen number:
8311374

location:
Egremont, Cumbria, England, UK

description:
A wonderful old British classic consisting of lustrous red tabular slightly translucent crystals of barite with little attached matrix. Razor-sharp and in super condition all around. The specimen comes with a previous label from the collection of William Severance. His label notes that this piece came out of the US National Museum, Carl Bosch collection. He purchased the piece through the well-known dealer Julie Zweibel. Unfortunately none of the previous labels mentioned have been retained with the specimen before it came into our hands.

The Egremont district, located within the West Cumberland Iron Ore Field in Cumbria, England, is historically significant for its prolific production of high-grade hematite and exceptional associated minerals. Geologically, the deposits occur as massive replacement bodies and vein fillings within the Carboniferous Limestone, where iron-rich hydrothermal fluids interacted with the host rock along faults. While primarily mined for iron, the district became world-famous among collectors for its superb barite specimens, which often occurred as large, transparent, honey-colored or colorless tabular crystals, sometimes found in association with calcite and fluorite. Historical mining in the area dates back to the mid-19th century, with major operations such as the Florence and Ullcoats mines reaching their peak during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Florence Mine remained one of the last deep-level iron mines in Europe, continuing limited production until the 1980s and later operating as a heritage site. Today, the barite crystals from Egremont are considered British classics, prized for their sharp morphology and historical importance in the development of Northern English mineralogy.

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